Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered that a special new American flag be flown on Flag Day this year.
The Mayor’s order saw 51-star flags flown along Pennsylvania avenue in the nation’s capital instead of the classic 50. The extra star is meant to represent Washington, D.C. as a state.
Bowser said she made the change “as a reminder to Congress and the nation that the 700,000 tax-paying American citizens living in Washington, D.C. demand to be recognized.”
The mayor declared D.C.’s lack of statehood a “220-year-old wrong” despite it being denied statehood to allow the capital of the United States to remain impartial in Congress.
“On Flag Day, we celebrate American ideals, American history, and American liberty. But the very foundation of those ideals, and the basis for our liberty, is representation,” Mayor Bowser’s statement read. “DC’s disenfranchisement is a stain on American democracy – a 220-year-old wrong that demands to be righted.”
Bowser also warned of the potential effects of the ending of Roe v Wade, seeming to suggest that Democrats gaining 2 more Senate seats could help them keep abortion nationally.
“As Americans nationwide brace for a decision on the future of Roe v. Wade, we are also reminded that DC’s disenfranchisement impacts not just Americans living in D.C., but Americans nationwide who share our values,” Bowser said. “While the stakes are even higher for Washingtonians, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the majority of Americans who believe in a woman’s right to choose.”
House Democrats passed the “DC Admission Act” to grant DC statehood along with full representation in Congress. Republicans have argued against the move as a Democrat power grab in an already split Senate.
While traditionally the appeal from the DC Mayor would have seemed far fetched, at this point Senate Democrats may consider such a radical move. Do you think they will make DC the 51st state? Do you think DC can even obtain statehood considering its role as the nation’s capital?
